Heir of Slytherin And Gryffindor
by The Dark Knight's Revenge
Summary: A new girl joins Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts, and her destiny and past are hidden. When she becomes tangled in the events that follow Harry, will he see that she is as devoted to him as she says? She is his destiny, and Voldemort is hers.
1. Chapter 1

Lily Black looked up at the sign for Platform 9, Shouldering her backpack with a sigh. Around her eleven year old figure, people rushed, bustling to get to their trains. King's cross was busy that day, September the first, filled with both muggle and magic families, trying to get to their destinations.

Lily attempted to push her cart carrying her Hogwarts trunk and owl cage closer, but the wheels jarred, sliding the cart sideways and almost knocking over the thin eleven year old. She held on to the cart tightly, righting it.

For eleven years, Lily was moderately tall, with flaming red hair tumbling down her back. As she took another look at the signpost, her cerulean blue eyes flashed gently, then switched to a light green.

Aside from being a witch, Lily Black could also change her appearance as she pleased. She could also morph into animals at will. A very rare talent called Animorphamagia. Only a handful of people existed with that talent.

Lily prepared to run through the barrier, but was halted when a plump woman followed by a gaggle of red-haired children intercepted.

"Platform nine and three quarters this way" The woman said, and out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw another boy her age file in behind the red heads. Lily watched as the woman counted off her children, seven in all.

"Go on Percy" The woman continued, and the oldest of her brood ran at the platform, disappearing into the stone. The woman was about to send her next child in when the black boy at the end interceded.

"Excuse me?" He asked shyly. "Can you tell me how to get on to the platform?" The woman beamed.

"First time, dearie? It's Ron's first time at Hogwarts as well. We'll show you. Fred, you next" The woman waved her hand at a pair of twins. One stepped forwards.

"He's not Fred, I am" The also red-haired boy grinned mischeviously.

"Oh, sorry George" His mother replied, making shooing motions.

"And you call yourself our mother" The other twin said, matching his brother's mischevious grin.

"I'm only joking, I am Fred" The twin said over his shoulder as he began to run at the stone wall, laughing all the while. His brother followed, leaving only one other red haired son, the mother, a little ginger-haired girl and the black haired boy with glasses. Lily looked closer as she stifled a chuckle at the twin's antics.

Could it be? The black haired boy adjusted his bent spectacles, ruffling his hair. It couldn't be...

Lily caught sight of the boy's trunk, which had his initials blocked on. HJP.

Harry James Potter.

Her green eyes flashed back to blue, and she watched like a hawk as the red haired woman told Harry Potter how to get on the platform. Of course he didn't know how, he had been in hiding all these years.

"Oh, i'm sorry dearie! Are we holding you up?" The kindly woman's voice cut through Lily's thoughts. Lily shook her head, still hanging back.

"Why don't you go, i'm sure you've been waiting" Lily gave the woman a smile, pulling her cart into position. Heart thudding, she looked quickly over her shoulder to see Harry Potter and the red-haired boy smiling encouragingly at her.

Lily closed her eyes and started at a small jog, pushing through the platform while holding her breath. Not feeling cold stone against her face, she opened her eyes to see the hustle and bustle of another train platform, a scarlet train belching steam over the crowds.

"Look Andromeda" She whispered, leaning forwards to talk to her owl; a large snowy who was looking around at everything. Now that she thought about it, Lily had seen another snowy owl with the Potter boy. They were rare, and there had only been two at Diagon Alley when she had been there getting school supplies. Potter must have gotten the other one.

With a pang of longing, Lily looked at all the parents hugging their children goodbye. She didn't have anyone, just a ride from the ministry and a letter from Cornelius Fudge in case she got into trouble.

Lily boarded the scarlet train, handing off her trunk to one of the porters and taking Andromeda's cage and her backpack with her. She found an empty compartment easily, and settled down to wait, the sense of magical energy never leaving.

Soon, the engine began to start, and the Hogwarts Express began to pull away, leaving the waving and cheering parents behind. After a moment, they pulled out of the city completely, and all you could see were the rolling hills of the English countryside.

Lily reached in her backpack and pulled out her Ipod, specially charmed to work on the Hogwarts grounds, where no electronics could work and began to listen to a british pop band. She had discovered the spell to make electronics work in an old book at the ministry, where she had been for most of her life.

All Lily could remember of her past was being brought up at the ministry itself; she was raised in a small apartment near to Fudge's own. The reason for this was unknown even to her.

She was allowed free reign once she was old enough, and got to roam about the ministry as long as she didn't cause trouble. The workers there grew used to seeing her small shape-shifting form.

Being in the ministry wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to her, but Lily had grown restless. She wanted to see the world. The happiest moment of her life was when the letter form Hogwarts had come on her eleventh birthday.

Absentmindedly, she flipped songs on her iPod and scratched her arm, rolling up her sleeve to look at her tatoo. About midway down her pale forearm was a tattoo of a skull with a snake intertwined around it. In the midday sun, the tattoo pulsed.

Then, the compartment door rattled open, revealing Harry Potter. Quickly, Lily shifted her arm color so the skin was pale and white. The tattoo was gone.

"Hello" He said, eyes fixed on her arm, where he could have sworn he had seen here tattoo.

She nodded to him, then gestured to the empty seats around her.

"Have a seat"

"Thanks"

Harry sat down across from her and set his owl's cage on the seat next to him, flushing as he realized he was in the same position as Lily.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter" He said, flushing a little more.

"Lily Black" She replied.

"I saw you on the platform" She nodded, then looked out the window. Completely unsure of what to say.

"You know...You're the first person who hasn't gaped at me or lost their train of thought" Harry said after a minute.

Lily smiled and looked back at him.

"That's because I know how hard it is to be you"

Harry smiled back in gratitude.

The compartment door banged open, revealing the youngest red-head boy from the platform.

"Everywhere else is completely full up, do you two mind?" He asked timidly. LIly and Harry shook their heads, Harry moving his owl to the ground.

"I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Scabbers" The red-head said, brandishing a very fat rat. Harry and Lily exchanged amused glances.

"I'm Lily Black, and this is Andromeda" Lily replied, gesturing to where Andromeda was sleeping.

"Harry Potter, and Hedwig" Harry said, holding out his hand for Ron to shake. Ron's eyes went wide.

"I-I didn't know, back on the platform that you were... Wow. Do you really have the-the-the scar?" Ron said, words tumbling out in a rush.

Harry grinned and pulled back his tousled black hair to reveal a lightning bolt scar. Lily looked at it intently, Ron's jaw dropped.

"Wicked"

The three became fast friends.

After a while, the trolley came along, bringing sweets and pumpkin juice. Lily got some Drouble's blowing gum and a chocolate frog with the money left over from her school supplies. Harry got a whole stash of sweets, and Ron tossed his corned beef sandwich back into his bag.

The compartment door banged open again, revealing a bossy-looking brown haired girl their age.

"Have either of you three seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one" The three shook their heads. Lily offered her chocolate frog, which made the girl frown. Then she caught sight of Harry.

"Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger, I've read about you in a bunch of books! Who are all you?" Harry flushed from head to toe.

"Ron Weasley" Ron mumbled through a mouthful of licorice.

"Lily Black" Lily said, holding back from rolling her eyes. Hermione proceeded to flit aorund their compartment, talking incessantly about spellwork and how Ron had dirt on his nose. Finally, she left, leaving the three in peace. They could still hear her bossy voice down the hall.

"Blimey" Ron said. "That's one high-strung first year, mates"

The three talked for a while as the sky outside their window turned from blue to orange, then to inky black. Lily shared her iPod with them, playing some oldies music. Ron was completely mystified. Harry was familiar, saying that his spoiled cousin had gotten one for his birthday, and had already broken it.

They changed into their robes when the conductor yelled that they had an hour 'till Hogwarts, then when the train pulled to a stop, they exited, jumping out into the cold air and toting their pets behind them.

"First years, this way" A giant man yelled, motioning them over to him. Lily's eyes widened, but refrained from staring. Ron stared, jaw dropped.

"Hi Hagrid!" Harry called with a wave. All the first years, Ron, Harry and LIly included, were taken down the edge of a lake, then placed in small wooden boats.

Lily sat next to Harry, holding a lantern and stifling a shiver. Harry scooted closer when she failed in holding back some shivers. She flashed him a grateful look.

Then, at a word from the large man, who Harry had called 'Hagrid' The boats took off across the lake, sailing across the expanse of inky blackness with ease.

They sailed for a few minutes, then rounded a bend and saw the most amazing sight Lily had ever seen. Across the dark lake, a castle stood up on the rocks, lights spilling out from every window.

All her life, Lily would never forget the sight.

She was overwhelmed with a sense of belonging...

She was coming home.

At the boathouse on the other side of the lake, they exited the boats quickly and walked up a staircase to the main courtyard. At the end were a set of giant wood doors.

Hagrid opened them, and bade them to stay in the large entrance hall. Then, a severe looking woman entered, looking at them over her small spectacles.

"Good evening. In a few moments you will pass through these doors and be sorted into your houses"

She took out a scroll from her long sleeve.

"Now while you are here, your house will be like your home. Good deeds will be rewarded with house points, and any rule-breaking will lose you points" She looked around at the first years.

"Trevor!" A boy yelled, picking up a toad that had hopped onto the top stair by the professor's feet. She pursed her lips.

"Sorry M'um" He stepped back.

"I am Professor McGonagall, deputy head mistress and head of Gryffindor House. Gryffindor is just one of the noble Hogwarts houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Please wait a moment while Headmaster Dumbledore gives his speech to the returning students"

And with that, she left.

It was silent for a couple seconds, then a pale boy stepped out and sneered at Harry.

"So it's true. What they were saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts"

Harry glared. LIly slipped her hand into his, and he squeezed it gratefully.

"The name's Malfoy" The boy continued. "Draco Malfoy" Ron snorted.

"You think my name's funny? No need to ask yours. REd hair, and a hand-me-down robe. You're a Weasley"

Lily took a step forward, breaking away from Harry.

"Leave him alone Malfoy"

At first, Malfoy's expression was unreadable, then he sneered.

"Who're you?"

Lily took another step towards him.

"Lily Black, you'd do well to remember"

Malfoy's face turned into one of fear, he leaned closer.

"The Lily Black?" He whispered.

Lily nodded, smirking. Malfoy took a step back, then turned to Harry.

"You'd do well you watch who you befriend, Potter. Ministry brats aren't to be trusted" With that, he stepped back into a throng of motley looking boys. Harry looked at Lily questioningly, but she waved him off.

Just then, the severe looking professor came back, looking pointedly at Malfoy.

"I am Professor McGonagall. Welcome to Hogwarts"

As soon as Lily walked through the golden doors, her jaw dropped.

The ceiling, obviously bewitched, was made to look like the night sky, covered in millions of stars. Hanging in air were thousand of lit candles, and four huge tables laid with gold placing took up the floor space. Behind her, Lily could hear Hermione talking to the girl next to her about how they enchanted the ceiling.

Professor McGonagall led them through the hall, then stopped at the end, where at the fifth table, what must have been all the teachers sat. In the middle was a silver-haired old man with a long beard and even longer hair.

His electric blue eyes looked directly into hers, and Lily took an involuntary step back. The headmaster smiled, then looked to Lily's right, at Harry. Lily gave a sigh of relief.

On the small stage space in front of the staff table, there was a stool with an old ragged hat sitting on it.

"Now, I will call your name, you will advance to the stool, place the sorting hat on your head, and therefore be sorted into your house"

She then proceeded to take out her scroll and read off it, for some reason reading in backwards alphabetical order. Lily sighed in anticipation as she realized she would be near last.

Ron went into Gryffindor, receiving loud cheers form his brothers. Lily clapped as well, secretly hoping she wold end up there too. Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin before the hat even had a chance to rest on his head, to no one's surprise.

Harry stepped up, and the sorting hat took a very long time time deciding. Then finally:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Now Lily really hoped for Gryffindor. Her mother had been a Gryffindor, and that had been the only thing the ministry had told her about her mum. Professor McGonagall went through the list until Lily was the last one standing. Anxious, Lily's eyes flashed from purple to blue to green very quickly.

"Black, Lily"

The hall was dead silent. Slowly, Lily stepped up and sat on the spindly stool, and watched as the hat was set on her head, falling over her eyes.

"Hmm" She heard in her ear. "Difficult choice. One parent from Slytherin, one from Gryffindor" Lily was taken aback. The ministry had never told her anything about her father... She could hear whispers from the crowd of students.

"_Not Slytherin_' she thought. _'I want to be like my mother..." _

"Not Slytherin Eh?" The hat whispered in her ear.

"Lots of courage, a thirst to prove, but what's this? A hidden destiny?"

'_Not Slytherin, please. I want to be a Gryffindor.'_

"Alright, alright. Better be..."


	2. Chapter 2

"Better be..." The sorting hat said. The hall went completely silent, and all Lily could hear was the blood pulsing in her ears. Her entire career at Hogwarts depended on this moment. She squeezed her eyes shut, barely breathing.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The sorting hat shouted. Lily nearly fell off the spindly stool in relief. The sorting hat was pulled off her head by Professor McGonagall, and Lily opened her eyes to see the great hall cheering. She ran down the steps to the Gryffindor table, scooting in between Harry and another Weasley.

"Congrats!" Harry yelled over the din, patting her shoulder. Lily grinned. Harry's eyes drifted up to the teacher's table, and Lily followed his gaze. Professor Dumbledore was fixing them with his ice blue stare, smiling warmly. Harry and Lily nodded to their headmaster before focusing their attention on the next sorting.

Three more students were sorted, one into Slytherin, one in Hufflpuff, and the last into Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat was taken away by Professor McGonagall, then Professor Dumbledore rose.

"Welcome!" He said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat, and Harry looked at Lily, an amused expression on his face as the other students cheered. Lily shrugged, flipping her hair over her shoulder and digging into the platter of mashed potatoes that had appeared in front of her. Obviously Harry hadn't seen the food, so she tapped his shoulder and brandished the serving spoon to the mashed potatoes. His jaw dropped.

Lily looked around at the feast. Roast beef and chicken, pork and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, all kinds of potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy... Everything that you could wish for was on the table.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lily could see Harry piling his plate with everything. The poor boy must have been practically starved by the muggles he lived with. He had told stories on the train about his Aunt and Uncle and their fat son Dudley.

It was hard to believe this was THE Harry Potter. He was scrawny, though not particularly unattractive... But truthfully he looked like there wasn't a drop of magical blood in him.

"Hey, hey! Lily, look at this!" Harry tossed a peppermint humbug into her pile of mashed potatoes, turning bright scarlet.

"Ooops, Sorry. I didn't mean..."

Lily picked the potato-covered humbug up, taking a bite.

"Potato-mint humbugs, my favorite Harry! How did you know?" She laughed. Harry grinned, then picked up a humbug and dropped it in his potatoes as well, taking a bite and making a face.

"My favorite too..." He grimaced, trying not to gag. Lily laughed harder, clutching her sides.

"Goodness... that looks good" A ghost said, drifting over Harry and Lily's heads as they tried peppermints with other odd dishes.

"Can't you eat?" Harry asked, watching Lily try to convince herself to take a bite of a ketchup dipped humbug.

"I haven't eaten for four hundred years" The ghost said mournfully, tugging at the ruff around his neck. "I don't need to, of course... but one does miss things. I'm sorry, I don't think i've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower"

"I know who you are!" Ron said suddenly from a few seats down. "My brothers- (He gestured at the weasleys around him) -they told me about you. You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would _prefer_ you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" The ghost began stiffly, but Hermione interrupted him.

"_Nearly _headless? How can you be NEARLY headless?" She asked in the bossy tone that seemed to always be present in her voice. Sir Nicholas looked incredibly miffed.

"Like THIS" he said irritable. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and flopped onto his shoulder. Someone had obviously tried to behead him and failed. He glided off, smirking at the appetites her ruined as he went.

"That bloke reminds me of someone..." Lily said, staring after the ghost.

"Oh?" Percy Weasley asked from the other side of Harry.

"Must have been some actor on a muggle comedy show..." Lily said, shrugging.

Soon all the food was cleared from the gold plates, and dessert appeared. Lily took more time to look around at her fellow Gryffindors.

Hermione and Ron sat across from her and Harry, with Ron's three brothers to the right of Harry and Ron. There was a set of twins, and Percy the prefect. To Lily's left was a sandy haired boy she had heard referred to as Seamus, and across from him was Neville Longbottom with the toad Trevor.

Conversation turned to families, and Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Seamus was half and half, with a witch for a mother and a muggle father. Hermione was from a family of muggles. Neville told funny stories about his uncle Algie trying to scare some magic out of him.

"What about you two?" Seamus asked, twisting in his seat to look at Lily and Harry intently. Lily compulsively rubbed her forearm, an action that did not go unnoticed by Harry.

"Gosh, i'm starting to feel a bit sleepy Harry, what about you?" Lily said, feigning exhaustion. Harry agreed, faking a yawn. Luckily, Percy Weasley's prefect instincts kicked in, and he saved them from the uncomfortable conversation with a long ramble about the dormitories.

Harry shot Lily a questioning glance, but she ignored him, looking up to the teacher's table instead. She recognized most of the teachers from her time at the ministry, most of them having visited one time or another.

She watched an unfamiliar teacher with interest. A short, nervous little man, his head swathed in a giant turban was talking to the potions master, Severus Snape.

Lily turned around to ask Harry if he knew the teacher, but paused midsentence as Harry clapped a hand to his scar. At the same time, Lily felt a burning pain in her forearm, coming from her tattoo.

"You all right, Harry? Lily?" Percy asked.

"It's nothing" They replied at the same time, earning odd looks from their dining companions. Harry quickly turned to talk to Percy in a hushed tone, leaving Lily to look back up to the teachers. To her surprise, Snape was watching her with an odd expression on his face, which she returned with a flat stare. Soon, he looked away.

Presently, the desserts were cleared from the table, and Professor Dumbledore began to make announcements. Lily tuned out, thinking about her tattoo. It had never twinged before... What did it mean?

"... Finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death" Dumbledore finished.

Lily frowned. She hadn't heard anything about this at the ministry...

The school song began, but Lily only sang half-heartedly. Her instincts told her that something odd was happening, and the overwhelming urge to be alone with her thoughts was crashing over her.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the Weasley twins had finished their slow funeral march and the applause ended. Lily jumped out of her seat, practically dancing in anticipation as Percy slowly got up and began to lead them to their dormitory.


End file.
